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TACOMA, Wash. — A 13-year-old Washington girl took her own life after her father recorded a video of him punishing her, sparking a debate over public shaming videos posted online by parents.

On Saturday, Izabel Laxamana got out of a car and jumped from a highway overpass, landing on Interstate 5 below, police said. She was rushed to a local hospital where she later died.

The suicide came after a 15-second video showing her father questioning Laxamana after cutting off her hair as punishment for unspecified behavior was shared online.

“The consequences of getting messed up?” the father says for the camera as he pans from his daughter’s face to a pile of hair lying at her feet. “Man, you lost all that beautiful hair. Was it worth it?”

“No,” Laxamana says.

“How many times did I warn you?”

“Twice,” she says quietly.

While many have criticized the father online, police say he didn’t upload the video and that it wasn’t meant to be published.

“She was a 13-year-old that made some poor choices, meaning that she didn’t have to kill herself,” Tacoma Public Information Officer Loretta Cool told the New York Daily news. Police believe an unidentified third party uploaded the video, thinking it would help.

While her father may have intended the video to be a personal reminder for his daughter’s eyes only, her suicide has prompted a larger debate over the public punishments that can haunt children online — years after they broke the rules.

Board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Jodi Gold told WPIX if you are at a loss as to how to best help your bulled child, the first step is to make sure you’re not part of the problem.

A Facebook page, “Justice For Izabel,” decries Laxamana’s punishment and the shaming of other children.

27 comments

Anna

If someone other than the father cut the child’s hair as punishment or to be a lesson would you call it bullying? What if an older sibling did this to punish child with the same outcome would it be okay? Humiliation whether for on private or public is not a way to teach a child. Unfortunately 13 year olds are very emotional and act in haste without thought to long term affect, this is tragic but the truth is his poor judgment as a parent caused this child to take her life. Teach your children, discipline your children, love your children, but don’t bully or humiliate them.

hrnideep

It’s easy to judge a parent when you AREN’T one. And everyone on here can judge any person out there that doesn’t think like their own selves, as if everyone should know what they’re doing at all times. Well guess what? NO ONE knows everything nor realize how they affect any person around them at every stinking second of the day. It’s an UNrealistic expectation. The man was trying to be a good father. He was giving a lesson that he hoped would make her think twice about doing something that may have been very serious. He’s not a trained behavioral therapist. He’s not a mind reader. He’s not all-knowing, like a lot of people posting on here THINK they are. None of US were there. We don’t know what other things she’s been doing, we don’t know what she and her family have been dealing with. Stop condemning the man who’s shoes you’ve never worn. Take a lesson from the story about different disciplinary options instead, IF you’re even a parent at ALL in the first place.

Jay

Joeblo

Jeez louise you people are all mental. The father made a mistake and the child went way too far and unfortunately ended her life as a reaction. He has to live with this for the rest of his life. No one person loved this child more than he did.

Kay

Lisa

Elmer E. Fudd

I JUST WANT TO SAY:
lloyd,val, and all other posters here,,i’m here for you.
just ask we can work it out. We can sit down and drink some
toxic frakwater and reminisce about the old days in PA.
By the way this was mild compared to the stuff i endured as
a child. Kids today are often out of control, bullies allowed to
breed fear to kids at school and on the street are the main
cause for tragic decisions like this.

Jon

Its one thing to discipline your child but its another to humiliate them to the whole world! My opinion the father should be brought up on charges for murder! Do to his actions a younge life is ended. No parent is perfect but to be so cruel to your own child like that tells me that you shouldn’t have any kids. Enjoy knowing that because of you a beautiful angel is no more. SCUM BAG!!!

Valfreyja

Public shaming is tantamount to child abuse. I made this comment on another similar story about a month back and received nothing but hate for it. Now can people see what’s at stake?

Teenage egos are more fragile, less well developed than ours. We’re adults. We can handle what the world throws at us with a resolve that comes only from the passing of years. DO NOT DO THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN!

Or you may learn that your child wasn’t as capable of handling stress, as this probably well meaning but ultimately foolish father has.

Haj

robin

Donald fox

People are saying shame on the father, but you can’t disapline a child anymore without offending someone. But these same idiots blaming the dad probably think its OK when a judge makes a child wear a sign in public saying I stole something from a store as punishment. In my opinion she had some deep issues that caused her suicide,more than just her hair getting cut.

disgraceful

You losers on here make me sick to my stomach! This is a 13 year old we’re talking about! I now plenty of adults who likely do far worse DAILY than this kid could ever have done! Her father is a complete loser! I would like to see you losers get your heads shaved every time you all screw up EVERYDAY of your pathetic miserable lives!

Sharon Naughton

there is no crime a 13 year old girl could commit that a father would cut off her beautiful hair and then shame her with the results. No that beautiful child is dead. Live with it Dad, you caused it!!!!

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. So very sorry for this young girl and feel sorry for the father, he has to live with this. You never get over a suicide involving a young person. I know had two in my family. Bless them all.

cheri

i agree with joan. shame that father. i remember when i was younger and if i got in trouble in front of any of my friends i got completely embarrassed. if it was not meant to be shared it should not have even been taped i dont even like when i have ro speak to my children when they are bad. let alone video taping it to re live it again.does it really have to be recorded to rwmind the child? im sure the child would remember having her hair chopped off for punishment. poor girl so ashamed that she would rather take her own life instead of being embarrassed.

karisa

If the video was not meant to be seen or uploaded , then why even record it ?! Why would a “third party” have easy access to that.Video taping a punishment is sick and twisted anyways , its a well thought out plan this guy came up with along with the thousand other people posting shaming videos. Children can not value their own lives anymore because that value they feel comes from the parents. I would not feel very valued if my mother or father had taped cutting my hair at 13 and then it was posted to everyone . I would feel ashamed and unloved .

Lorraine

letsgetittogether

Otherwise well adjusted children generally don’t take a bridge. And while I find this method of parenting pretty lazy and disgusting, it’s the first I’ve heard of a child committing suicide after. My guess would be that there was more going on.